THE Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu, has promised that his management is assiduously working to restructure the business of aviacargo in Nigeria.
He gave the assurance after a tour of the cargo facilities at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The ongoing tour of the cargo facilities resulted from the presentation of the third interim report by the aviacargo road map committee.
The committee’s coordinator and the organiser of the annual CHINET Aviacargo Conference, Mr Ikechi Uko, presented the third monthly interim report for the month of April.
In the presentation, Uko told the FAAN MD that the committee had done a tour of the cargo facilities at the MMIA earlier in the month and were not impressed with the conditions of the facilities in the area and identified five areas that needed to be resolved by FAAN to improve the conditions in the area.
These included the export areas of both NAHCO and SAHCO, which he described as disorganised, chaotic and rowdy that could be significantly improved upon based on the same organisations’ import areas. The import areas, Uko said, looked like modern shopping malls while the export zones looked like “Aswani market or Oshodi” markets on a market day
The improper and poor quality packaging of goods for export, also done inappropriately at the airport, is another area identified by the committee.
The limited operating hours of the terminal which is better operated 24 hours to maintain the efficient flow based on the airport operating hours and the need for regulatory agencies to avail themselves, and reduce congestion during the active hours of airport operations, was also pointed out.
While suggesting that Customs and others can work round the clock so that domestic airlines can do regional cargo at night and carry passengers during the day, the committee faulted the lack of facilities for exporters to package their goods having failed to do so at their facilities due to the need for inspections and certification.
The usual indiscriminate parking of vehicles all over the terminals and airport formed part of the grey areas which the committee believed can be resolved immediately while the aviacargo committee continues with the project.
Uko showed the FAAN MD and his entourage during the tour the already identified lapses and the earlier suggested possible mitigations.
At the new Chinese Built Cargo Terminal, the MD promised that with a few final touches the terminal will become an example of the new vision of aviacargo in Nigeria, even as he disclosed that the new cargo terminals in Port Harcourt and Abuja will soon come on stream, just as with some minor amendments by the Imo state government at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Facility will also be integrated.
While commending the aviacargo committee, Yadudu pledged full and continuous support to the committee, saying, “We are happy with the work you have done and doing. The quality of membership is notable.
“We will at FAAN look at the suggestions and start to implement those that can be implemented immediately while we wait for your final report. We do not want an academic report. We all know the problems and we expect a strategy and steps to implement the report when you finally submit the report. Please see your effort as a national project that helps not just aviation but the whole nation.”
Promising to soon solve the five problems identified by the committee, the FAAN MD said once done, the cargo terminals will be opened for 24 hours.
and then